Nightlights, Sugary Smiles, and Bedtime Stories
by xXBlueDazeXx
Summary: AU. "I brought children into this dark world because it needed the light that only a child can bring." Liz Armbruster


A/N: I do not own anything from X-Men :P

* * *

A four year old Charles was staring quite intently at his best friend. He simply couldn't understand! Not writing to Santa Claus? Well that's preposterous!

Erik gave a slight smile to his confused younger companion. "Maus, I'm Jewish." His words had a significant German lit to them. "I don't do Christmas." The six year old tried to explain it quickly, trying to side-step the fact that he didn't believe in Santa anyways.

Their parents had met up for a holiday party at the Xavier Manor and had brought along their small children as they were such good friends. The Lehnsherrs had only been in New York for a few months, they had escaped from Germany just before the Holocaust, with young Erik in tow. Once arriving in the states, Mr. Lehnsherr got a job with the, newly-arrived-from-England, Mr. Xavier working at a bio lab he had been transferred to.

"I know you're Jewish! But to not do Christmas?" Charles sat for a moment, his forehead crinkled forward in thought, "Bah! Everyone does Christmas! I-" The curly haired tiny tot cut himself off, his chubby cheeks an amazing shade of red.

"You what, Maus?" Erik looked curiously at his little 'mouse'.

"Nothing!" He hmphed like the conversation was over and the topic was closed. Which, for four year olds, no matter how advanced in intelligence they were, was the clear-cut way of ending a discussion.

"If you say so." The dark haired, lanky boy dismissed it with a sigh, knowing Charles would be compelled to tell him later. "Let's go get some food, yes?"

Charles smiled widely and nodded. He quickly grabbed Eriks' hand and rushed out of the playroom, hardly stumbling at all thanks to Eriks strong grip.

* * *

"Daddy! Erik and I wanted to get some food." Blue eyes dazzled up at his father. Said man couldn't resist his little boy dressed in a child's tux, and picked the child up, swinging him around til he began to giggle and squeal.

"Oh Brian! Put him down, I'm sure he wants to play with his friends and be a good big brother and check on his sister and her friends." Sharon Xavier said, laughing as she gazed at her husband. "Isn't that right Charles? The adults are having a party now, so get some food and run along like a good little boy."

Charles nodded his head furiously once he was put down. He looked over to the other boy, who held a plate full of holiday foods, gave his dad a hug and his mom a nod, before running off.

"Have fun Charlie!" Brian yelled after his precious son before turning back to the crowd of people at the party. His wife sure knew how to have a gathering!

* * *

"Let's eat some and then check on the small ones." Erik suggested, knowing most of the kids they were about to check on were too young to eat these foods.

"Good idea my friend!" Charles smiled over at him before popping a lox and cuke into his mouth. "Yummy! I like this, your mom brought it, correct?"

Erik nodded before popping some into his own mouth. "Personally, I enjoy it better than your mothers caviar crap."

Charles' eyes darted around before he nodded his agreement, a cheddar-pepper palmier finding its way into his mouth soon after.

Within fifteen minutes all of the tasty finger treats were gone, as were the two mini chocolate tartlets Erik had swiped from the desert table.

"Well that was good! Let's go see my little baby sister!" His bright eyes got even brighter, if that was even possible. Erik simply nodded as the porcelain child grabbed his hand once more before running off towards the nursery.

Once they arrived the atmosphere in the room escalated in excitement by 10 fold. Though they might spend most time together, they always made time to play with the younger bunch, or at least to pop in and check on them at the very least.

"Raven!" Charles exclaimed as he tried to pick up the chubby two year old. "Hullo Hank, Alex. I hope little miss Princess right here hasn't been causing too much fuss for everyone!" He smiled at the three and four year olds. Despite being the same age as Alex, being more mentally developed, he was allowed to run off with the older Erik.

"Chawlie!" Raven squealed with delight at seeing her favorite big brother. Her whispy golden strands of hair were curled delicately. She was adorned in a bright emerald velvet Christmas dress with black Mary-Janes on her feet. "And Ewik." She nodded her head to him as she had seen her mother do to people she wasn't as excited to see. She was a mini-Sharon in appearance and occasionally motions.

"Prinzessin Raven." He did a mock bow to her and she exploded into giggles and wiggled in Charles' hug.

"We just came to check on the little Princess and her brave knights, all is well in Ravens' kingdom?" Charles smiled brightly at Hank and Alex, both of whom were blushing a bright red.

"Y-yes Charl-les, all-l is well." Hank stuttered out. The poor child had a massive stutter, speech developmental problem. Despite being only three, he had a large vocabulary. Thanks in part to his scientist father and author mother.

The usually really talkative Alex was suspiciously silent. Charles knew the boy felt uncomfortable in all the refinery he was wearing. He hated suits just as much as Hank did. How his mother managed to get him into one, Charles would never know. Erik, however, realized the silence was because they had interrupted a private conversation between the three and quickly made to leave.

"Good to know, we'll be off then. If you need us, you know where to find us." Erik gave a parting smile, ruffling the girls hair as Charles fixed Alexs' sideways bowtie and offered Hank a smile.

"Bye my little Princess!" He gave Raven a big kiss on the cheek before departing.

* * *

"Erik! Can we go to my room?" Charles' eyes darted away from the green orbs of his friend. "I have something I have to do there."

"Of course Maus, lead the way." The suit clad young man knew that he was finally going to get to hear what Charles had stopped himself from saying. His curiosity was peaked.

They walked up the winding stairwell and down the luxuriously carpeted hallway til they reached a thick oak door with the sign 'Charles F. Xavier' on the wall.

Of all the times Erik had been over to play, he had never gone into Charles room. Once the door was open and they stepped in his breath caught at the pure luxury of the room. It was easily the size of the kitchen in his old house in Germany. It was huge. And there was a Queen sized bed outfitted with rich blue silk sheets with dozens of pillows. An entire wall was covered from floor to ceiling with books of all kinds, surely for the boy to read as he got older, considering the easier ones were at his reach. A large window took up half of the other wall. A random assortment of toys were beside the window on a desk. Mostly craft toys. And directly in the center of the large room was a beautifully decorated 3' tree. And under that tree was a single present.

Charles had inched his way to the tree and had picked up the present and was holding it behind his back.

"This is for you Erik. Everyone should get a present today, and since you didn't write Santa a letter and you're Jewish, I don't think he'll bring you one. So I got you one." He had a nervous smile on his bright red lips and a small flush on his chubby cheeks. He held out the red wrapped present that had a huge golden bow on top to the stunned boy.

"Charles… Maus… You didn't have to.." Erik struggled to get words out. His first friend in this foreign place, the person who strove so much for him to speak English perfectly, had gotten him a gift. Service to say, Erik was at a loss.

"I know silly! I did it because I wanted to." He smiled and placed the gift into Eriks' stunned hands. "Daddy says it's better to give then receive."

Erik finally looked at his first and closest friend. And smiled. "Thank you Maus. I'll treasure it always."

"Open it Erik!"

He nodded and carefully peeled away the ribbon and then the wrapping paper, folding them up and placing them to the side. There was a rectangular non-descript brown box. He opened the flaps and inside was a framed picture of the two boys at Eriks birthday party, just after Charles had wiped chocolate sauce from the sundaes on Eriks face. Erik had retaliated with smearing whip cream on Charles' face. Thankfully Charles' father was there and took a picture of the two boys laughing happily.

"I hope you like it Erik…" Charles was once again nervous. What if Erik didn't like it!?

"Oh Maus, I love it." The six year old was touched by the picture of the two best friends. "It'll go on my nightstand at home. Thank you." The two young boys hugged before Erik pulled something out of his pocket. "I know it's not much but I thought you'd like it. Since you do Christmas and all." Erik stuck his gift into Charles hands.

Charles grinned brightly and quickly unwrapped the gift. Inside the paper laid a small box, he opened this and found a small blue leather bookmark with the charm of a mouse attached to it. "Erik," Charles breathed out. "This is lovely. Thank you! I'll cherish it forever."

"Merry Christmas Maus." Erik said with a smile, proud that Charles liked his gift.

"Happy Holidays Erik." Charles grinned, holding the gift to his chest as he settled down by his small tree with Erik sitting on his other side.

* * *

~Christmas child fluff! :) I love the holidays so much. And this is the beginning to an AU story of them as children, aging up.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!

-Julieann


End file.
